How do I rescue a scared stray puppy that won't let me get close?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the stray cats. It will likely take you time to gain their trust. I recommend feeding them daily or whenever you have time. Eventually they will likely pet them and then take them to your home. Unless you use a humane trap, there really isn't another way to catch them. Good luck!

I would make sure that you take your time with Sabo and do not approach him too quickly. Let him come to you and reward him when he does come to you. A good way to do this is to sit down and call him over to you. When he comes, reward him with petting him and giving him a treat. You can also you things like an Adaptil collar to help make him feel calm and at ease. You can find this product at your local Petco or online. Time and patience will lead to him trusting you more. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

In situations such as these, time is your friend, as well as patience. 4 years living solely outside is a long time for a dog, and that's a lot of years of work to reverse. You may want to treat Perseus as if he were a puppy, starting with a similar routine for feeding, potty training, etc to get him used to being around people and in/out of a house. Getting him used to you can take time. Always approach by talking calmly and gently and tossing a treat toward him. Not directly facing him and/or crouching down can also make you less intimidating and scary. Let him approach you first rather than you approach him, and be sure to quietly praise or offer treats any time he does. As he gets more used to you, you can then treat only when he allows petting or approaches you and accepts gentle handling. This can take a lot of time, so patience and always maintain a calm presence can help. It is also a good idea to speak with a trainer or behaviorist in your area who can come to the home and offer more tailored advice for how to help Perseus. They can help formulate a training plan as in the case of a behaviorist may also be able to recommend medications to help keep him stress free and relaxed as he learns how to be a dog.

Poor dog! I would call your local SPCA to come and get him. They can get him veterinary treatment and eventually him a home. If you are willing to take him in and assume financial responsibility for him, I'd take him into a vet asap.

The best thing you can do is not to force him. Just be nice to him, talk calmly and give him small treats of something he likes a lot. In time he will come around. Forcing him will just make it worse. Most dogs do better if you ignore them at first so they don't feel threatened. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello! The safest way to take the cat to the pet shelter would be to trap it, if at all possible. Feral cat traps are the safest option because they automatically close after the cat enters. A pet carrier or box with some food that you can securely close after the cat enters will also work. Most people use canned cat food or tuna to lure the cat into the trap. A common oral sedative for cats is a drug called Gabapentin that can be mixed with food, but this is a prescribed substance and not one I believe you can purchase over the counter. I also caution that if the cat is very wild, it will still be able to bite and scratch you while sedated, so you will still need to contain the cat in some type of carrier. Cats can carry the Rabies virus, so I want you to to stay safe! The animal shelter may offer some types of traps or sedation drugs to assist you in bringing the cat in. Try calling them and seeing if they can offer you any supplies to help! I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I hate to hear this is happening for both you and Lola. If you want to try to show her that humans are good, you will need to gain her trust. The first thing you need to do is find a treat that she really likes. This will be her high value treat. Basically, sit quietly close to Lola and don’t look directly at her. This can make some dogs uncomfortable. Every time she makes a move to investigate you, she gets a treat. Clicker training is something that can help in this situation as well. Any time she makes an attempt to approach you, click the clicker and treat her. The key is to be slow, patient, calm and not to make her feel pressure. You may also get a small assortment of toys and once again, sit close to her (but don’t force yourself beside her), avoid looking at her and try to get her interested in the toys. This will not be forever but it is needed for right now. The key is that Lola needs to approach you on her own terms. You may also do some reading about shy or fearful dogs to learn other techniques that benefit them. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.